In Souls Born
by Azecreth
Summary: Villains do not spring from nothing, and motives are not unchanged by time. Cast into a cruel world, Carol searches for someone to aid her, and in doing so heads for a meeting that will define not only her own future, but that of the world to come.


**A/N: This took way longer to write than I expected it would. But I got it done eventually, and that's what counts. Just a bit of headcanon on my own part, so I hope you all enjoy it.**

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The land was cold.

Wind swept mountains pierced the sky as far as the eye could see, the cold black stone painted over with a brush of white that hid the treacherous surfaces beneath. Sheer cliffs heralded long falls and no life could be seen, much less could survive at these perilous heights. It was only the foolish who would come out here.

The foolish, or the driven, as one Carol Malus Dienheim mused to herself. Her limbs shook, cheeks scarred by the wind and the cold as she forced herself to move one step after the other. She held a staff in one hand and a satchel rested upon her back, carrying the total of her worldly possessions.

Cresting a ridge, there was nothing to see in the distance. Just mountains and more mountains. Nowhere to go in front of her, and no way to turn back. She had passed that point a long time ago. And if she could not find what she was looking for, then she did not want to return anyway.

"This had better be worth it," she grunted to herself as she began to move on. She had come here on a hunch, following on the trail of rumors and tales. They said that there was a city hidden in these mountains, secreted away and home to beings with magic and power beyond anything the world had ever seen. Most did not believe such tales, but as an alchemist she was more willing to pursue the possibility.

The wind cut in spite of the robes she was wearing, the weather keeping snow from building up as a practical blanket. The occasional use of a crystal kept her from freezing entirely, but going it alone was a trial nonetheless. No one was daring enough to come with her, and she did not want them along anyway. This was her test, and one she would accomplish alone.

It seemed like an eternity since that fateful day, since she had been torn from her father and forced to wander the world. She had seen all sorts of things, and yet she had been driven to the edge of her hope, her understanding. This was her last chance, to understand what her father had wanted from her, to fulfill his legacy. She just had to find the place.

Thanks to the research she had done, she had been able to narrow it down to this particular range of mountains. Yet she could not pinpoint an exact location, forcing her to wander as she was now. Given how things were going, it seemed like it would be a bit harder than she had anticipated.

Any help that she could have brought would have departed days ago. The only help she had were her own abilities, and the only supplies she had were the ones she had brought with her. Alchemy helped, but there was only so much she could do with rocks and snow before she began to run out of energy herself.

Yet she couldn't turn back. No, that wasn't right. She would not go back. If she could not succeed in this task then she deserved to never return from these mountains. No one would miss her, and perhaps it would be better to perish in pursuit of her fathers dream than to live with the memories of what the world had done to him.

After a momentary pause Carol began to walk once more, using her staff for balance as she half walked, half slid down the ridge and towards the next mountain crest that waited for her. She was careful to keep from slipping, wary of a tumble that could injure her or worse. If she broke a leg then she could kiss her chances of finding the city goodbye.

White powder rose up to settle on her clothes, to tint the air even as she sucked down cold gulps. Her eyes winced with the glare from the snow, making navigation that much trickier. It was a good thing she still had her hat, for some small bit of relief.

Thoughts of the future drove her onwards, of the things she'd learn, the mysteries to be unraveled. This city was supposed to be a place of great knowledge, exactly the sort of thing she was looking for. In learning from them, that knowledge could then be applied to other mysteries, and allow her to understand the world she lived in.

Right now, all she understood though was that she was cold, tired, yet determined to go on. This is what she needed to do, and that was all there was to it. No one else cared about her, her dedication unsurpassed. Her father had taught her well.

The bottom of the valley was filled with more snow, her feet sinking in deep and rising up around her boots. Her legs were wet from melted snow already, making her steps that much more uncertain. It would have been more worrisome if there were threats to worry about, animals or guards to keep her from reaching her destination.

Having reached the bottom, the next ascent began towards the crest that faced her down. Warm breath heated the air, small clouds of mist appearing before being whisked away by the wind. The stone sent jarring impacts through her legs as she went upwards. This had to be taken carefully, to avoid falling down and perhaps slipping back to the bottom. That had happened more than once.

She had almost the reached the top when she heard it, a rumbling noise that seemed to cut through the wind whipping past her. Unable to see what was causing it immediately she picked up the pace, kicking snow behind her as she raced for the top of this ridge.

Cresting it, her eyes widened in shock and more than a hint of fear as she saw the veritable wall of white rushing towards her. It was a storm brought by a cloud rising over the mountaintop, but she knew that it did not bode well for her. If she was caught in that then who knew where she would end up, if she wasn't blown off the mountain entirely. To end in such a way, she would not allow it.

Quickly she scanned her surroundings to try and find some safe place to weather the storm, and after a few seconds she spotted it. A small entrance to a cave some distance down the slope. Not the best hiding spot but it would do for her needs if she judged it correctly.

With her destination in sight Carol burst into motion, huffing as she descended the slope in a race against time as the cloud and the blinding snow drew ever near. She made it about a third of the way down before her foot slipped, dragged by her clothes and the gear that she was carrying as she was sent tumbling head over heels in a flurry of cold snow and hard rock.

"Gah!" A cry rang out as pain flared from her ankle, the tumbling girl eventually ceasing her fall somewhere near the bottom of the slope. Stumbling to her feet, she looked up to see the wall of white that much close than before, the fall eating away precious seconds of her time and bringing doom that much nearer.

Panic began to stir inside Carol as she hurried to outrace the storm. She would not fall short so close to her salvation. Pain was bit back with an iron will as she shambled forward, towards the waiting cavern. She had to make it, had to!

The storm loomed ever closer, the wind kicking up even as she was buffeted by plumes of snow. She could feel her fingers tingling, the pain from her fall mixing with the cold and the cut of the wind. Her ankle was worse though the temperature did help to deaden the pain. Not that it made a difference as she hit the edge of the storm, white filling her vision as her shivering intensified. It was practically impossible to see and it would only get worse.

Yet she had done enough. Pulling her collar tighter, the last few steps carried Carol into the waiting cave.. The difference was visible, the wind cutting down significantly and the snow no longer coming up past her ankles. It was notably an improvement, one she was grateful for.

Carol collapsed to her hands and knees once she was out of the brunt of the storm, the girl rooting through her pack at the same time. After a few moments she found what she was looking for, and she tossed the crystal over her shoulder without looking back.

Upon contact with the ground the crystal shattered, a magic circle flaring into existence for a brief moment before a veritable wall appeared from thin air. It was of much the same crystal substance and it covered the entry, sealing the cave and covering it from the storm. Very useful in a pinch as one might suspect.

With the sudden cessation of wind Carol could relax, and once she had she got back to her feet. "What a nuisance," she grumbled to herself as she attempted to brush the snow off her clothes, as if she hadn't just been in danger of walking off a cliff without realizing it, much less freezing to death.

The immediate danger passed, she could turn to her other problems. For one, she was stuck in here until the storm passed by and it wasn't getting any warmer. Then she'd have to make sure that she wasn't injured too badly, meaning that she couldn't rest easy just yet.

Warmth was easy to handle, thanks to her knowledge of alchemy. A few rocks were collected from nearby and arranged in a small pile. She held her hand over the collection, stern and focused as she drew on her lessons and her inner power. A soft glow filled the cave as the stones changed, becoming coal right in front of her eyes. In a few minutes she had a crackling fire ready to warm her up, her staff nearby.

With the fire prepared she went about handling her other issues. Her hat was placed off to the side as she crouched near the fire, as close as she could get without burning herself. Crystals were nice, but there was nothing like the heat that an actual fire brought, and she drank it without reservation. It was almost like those days during winter when she and Papa-

Those thoughts were cut off with a shake of her head before she could get any further. She had to stay focused, could not allow herself to be trapped in a painful past. She would make Papa proud, in spite of all those dumb people who couldn't understand them and what they were doing.

As the warmth returned to her bones, Carol finally got the chance to explore the place she had found herself in. What she had initially thought was just a depression in the mountainside seemed to extend a lot further than that, running away from the now sealed opening and beyond what her fire lit up.

It also turned out that the wound to her ankle wasn't that bad, and it would be healed soon enough. That meant that she would have plenty of time to investigate and see what she could find. It wasn't like there was much else to do here until the storm passed.

Rising to her feet once more, Carol brushed her clothes off before grabbing her hat and her satchel, though she left the staff behind. The fire would be extinguished to preserve what oxygen was left, illumination provided by her crystals. It wasn't her first time spelunking, though it wasn't usually in these types of circumstances. This seemed like it would be a lot less dangerous than those times.

Once everything was prepared she set off down the tunnel, crystal held aloft to light the way. It seemed that this place had been naturally formed, and it didn't appear that she was walking into something's nest. Nonetheless the tunnel was proving longer than she had expected it to be. In a place like this it was difficult to determine time, but it had been more than a few minutes since she had set off, that much she knew.

Soon she managed to reach the end of the tunnel. It was strange, terminating abruptly in a more open cavern which looked like a sphere of rock had been lifted out of the mountain itself. Odd, especially since it looked as if this cavern was a lot less natural than the entering tunnel. The smooth walls said as much. Her interest was piqued, and she stepped in further to look at the cavern.

Looking around, it almost seemed like there were pictures on the wall. It was the only thing there besides the strangeness of this environment. Not that Carol could determine what the markings were even if they seemed to be relatively intact. There was just something here that defied her current understanding and comprehension.

Stepping up to those pictures for a better look, she squinted before shaking her head. Monsters, the moon, none of it made any sense to her. Yet she didn't back down, since Father would not have wanted her to give up on a mystery like this so easily. Her resolve blossomed and she turned back to the drawings, crystal held aloft as she traced chiseled runes in the stone.

With how distracted the task made her, Carol almost didn't notice the threat until it was practically on top of her. The only things that alerted her were the additional colored light on the wall and the sudden squelching noises from behind her.

Spinning in place, Carol frowned as she caught sight of what had arrived. There were monsters, with no better term for them. Their skin shimmered and glowed in strange colors, wielding weapons that were glowing white. They were almost a mockery of bugs, albeit humanoid and standing upright. Her breath caught with the sight, sending a chill of worry through her bones.

"What are you," she asked herself, not expecting and not receiving an answer from the monsters. "Hmph, very well. You have chosen the wrong foe to battle." They might be unusual, but she would not be defeated so easily. Her ability was being underestimated, and she would make them suffer for it. She wouldn't even need her crystals for something like this. She would have flourished her robes had she felt motivated to, but instead she merely focused on the task at hand.

A hand rose as she tapped into her magic, speaking ancient words at the same time. A red circle appeared in the air, an elaborate pentagram filled with glowing symbols, glowing and aimed at the creatures. A few moments later she lashed out, a blast of magical fire flaring into existence as it struck at the monsters.

The blast slammed home easily, the monsters not even defending themselves from the magic strike. Instead they took it and lost, turning to ash under the heat and leaving a very anticlimactic taste to the battle. It seemed they weren't that tough after all.

"I was expecting more," she noted with an air of disinterest. So these things were here too, all the more reason to get this over with and back to the entrance. It didn't seem like she would be getting much more information, and she wasn't really in a position to research. She could always come back later with a fresh head.

With her mind made up, Carol turned to leave and return to her fire at the mouth of the tunnel. Her motion was arrested as she glanced back to see that part of the wall had silently swung open at some point when she hadn't noticed. This new tunnel seemed to run further on, and Carol shifted towards it so she could explore down that path.

When she had arrived, she found that she was not alone once again. This time she was facing down an imposing man in silverish armor, leaving her to wonder how she hadn't seen him before. It wasn't any kind of armor she had seen before, but that wasn't really a surprise anymore. "Are you a foe," she asked, stepping back as she prepared to battle once again.

The man, if it could be called a man, held a stony facade as he carefully watched Carol."The Priestess wishes to see you," he said in a rumbling tone, not answering her question at all. Carol had the feeling that insisting would be an exercise in futility.

That didn't mean she simply had to accept it though. She was confident in her ability to resist and fight back if he forced the issue, even if she didn't know what he could do at the moment. "And who is this Priestess," she asked with a narrowed gaze and attention focused on the man who told her this request.

Just as she had expected, however, there was no actual answer to that. "The Priestess wishes to see you," the man reiterated as he continued to face ahead. After a moment he turned on his heels and strode down the tunnel, with Carol following after him a few moments later. It seemed she didn't have a choice so she would play along for now.

As befitting a secret tunnel, it was fairly small and dark. There was the occasional torch, but Carol was more reliant on her crystals for constant illumination. It seemed that much had not changed, disappointingly. She had the feeling that this would end up being another waste of her time, even if she didn't have anything to base it on. She just didn't have high hopes, even with the guy in armor here.

Oh, how wrong she was. It seemed that the rumors were truer than she had ever believed. A light from up ahead indicated the end of this passage, and she followed along without comment. Emerging from the confines of the entryway she found herself in a massive underground city carved into the interior of the mountain. To hear was one thing, to see it was quite different.

Her eyes wide, she stepped off to the side of the platform they were on to look at the city. It had to have taken a long time to make, sizable structures rising towards the ceiling, from which a glow emanated out to illuminate the city. The buildings were adorned with gold, silver, quartz, exotic materials that had an obvious elegance to them. Roads wound through them all, rising and falling, passing over each other as they facilitated movement through the city.

Most noteworthy was the large building in the middle of it all, which almost looked like a giant tower. It rose above everything else, the roads all led to it, and it served as the central focus of the city. The presence of alchemy was obvious, and it thrilled her to see it. This was what she was looking for, and she had a feeling that that tower was her ultimate destination.

"Come," the man said, gesturing towards the city before leading the way. Carol trailed after him willingly, moving down stone steps and into the city proper. Being inside made it less impressive but she could appreciate it, stone structures rising and highlighting the craftsmanship that went into these.

There was an elegant simplicity to it, yet it was countered by the gilded edge it had. It made sense that they would want to show off though, if there was someone who made this of their own power. This, this was beyond what she could have hoped for and she knew she had to try and take advantage of this opportunity.

It was once she was inside that she finally got the chance to see the people who lived here in this submerged city. They were as strange as the creatures that had attacked her, for better or for worse. They were a variety of color and wore strange dress, in a style she had never seen. Leather and silk, black and silver, fabrics that seemed to shimmer in the light even if the colors were not garishly vibrant.

She caught the attention of some, but most gave her little regard. Not that she minded it too much. They weren't the person in charge and that was who she wanted to see. Until then she would just take in what she could in the hopes that it helped her, her gaze sweeping the crowds and the buildings above with a more clinical and detail oriented look.

One of the things that she found interesting was the method of transportation that they used. There were many people walking around like her, but they also employed a hovering device with handles and a platform mounted to a central rod. It didn't seem to move particularly fast, but it was a curious device nonetheless.

At last the two of them arrived at the central structure. Chiseled steps rose up the side of the building while statues loomed to the sides, a testament to someone's ego. They seemed to be of a woman in armor, someone who looked out towards the horizon in stone form. Not that it wasn't impressive, it just seemed excessive to her.

The man started up the stairs without hesitation, leaving her to follow once again. Carol took a last look around before moving after him, for lack of a better option. The tower gave her a good feeling that the Priestess was who she was looking for, and it wasn't like she had any other places to go at the moment. With her help, she could complete her quest to get revenge on those who wronged her father.

Something happened as she walked up the stairs though. She wouldn't have felt it had she not been an alchemist, but she was able to pick on some sort of field hanging in the air. Her scalp prickled as she tried to identify the source of it, eventually concluding that it was the crystalline structures nearby, possibly acting as amplifiers. It would be fascinating to examine if she had the time.

As she once again rose above the city, Carol saw the entrance that they wee approaching, but she didn't care so much. Her gaze was continually drawn back to the city, a desire to explore rising. It was only through force of will that she could focus on moving forwards. She had come this far, she could not lose sight of her goal now.

They crested the upper platform to find themselves facing down the entrance of the tower. More figures in silver armor stood next to the entrance as guards, answering the question of whether her escort just had a stoic personality. They ignored her but she didn't mind. It was part of their job, and she probably would have looked down on them otherwise.

The entrance itself turned out to be another egotistical show, to no surprise. Stone statues and paintings glorifying events, gold and jewels as part of the decoration. She was left wondering just who the priestess was trying to impress, but the answer was probably people like her. It definitely left an impression with elaborate decoration in wood and cast iron on the door.

The escort nodded to those guards already here and received a nod in turn. At that point the doors began to swing open, as if waiting on that signal. Carol stepped forward as they did, readying herself for the encounter about to take place. This was it, the moment of truth. She would not disappoint her father.

Beyond waited a grand hall, a rising ceiling that glittered with light. Columns and statues lined the way, and marble comprised the path forward. Fires licked in bronze brassieres, casting an orange glow and weak heat. It was also empty, and the escort led her forward into the hall. She could still sense magic in this room, but it seemed that there were no ostentatious displays of it here.

That power, that focus of the room, drew her towards the throne that waited. It practically shimmered in her vision, studded in purple crystal and and constructed of gold, bronze and iron. It wasn't massive, but it definitely drew the eye. That field extending unseen in the room felt like it focused on that point, thought it wasn't a surprise.

More importantly, she got the see the Priestess. The woman was seated upon the throne, hands resting on the armrests as she sat in a relaxed fashion. She did not seem stern, but as the focus of the room she nonetheless had an imposing air. Her hair was long and yellow, and she was clad in gold armor with purple strands connected to it. That explained all the statues.

They stopped some distance from the throne, The man dropping to a knee as he bowed in front of the figure. "Priestess, I have brought her," he said to the woman on the throne. Carol did no such thing, standing calmly as she eyed the one that she would be dealing with.

His words caused the Priestess to straighten a bit, curiosity and amusement flashing into existence as she leaned forward to better look at Carol. "Oh, is this her?" The lady didn't seem to want to kill her on sight, so that was a positive. It very much could have been worse. "So you're the one who defeated my Noise. What is your name?"

Carol met the gaze of the Priestess, respecting her power but not being daunted by it. What did she have to lose? "Carol Malus Dienheim, daughter of Izak Malus Dienheim," she replied coldly. "Are you the ruler of this city?"

Her refuge in audacity seemed to work on the Priestess as she shifted backwards, a smirk appearing as she tapped her chin. "I am," she confirmed with a slow. "I am Finé, the Priestess and leader of these people, to guide them in the darkness of the world. And why have you come to my door, Carol Malus Dienheim?"

"I have come to seek help," Carol replied, sweeping her arm to the side as she kept her attention on the Priestess. Finé then? It wasn't a name she knew, but nonetheless it seemed like she could be a help to her cause. "I heard rumors that there was a being in these mountains who was skilled in Alchemy. I see that I was not misled."

"My my, alchemy. That is a word I haven't heard in a long time." Once again Finé gave a slow nod, her interest held for the moment. Carol knew she might be pushing it, but she had to be careful. "Indeed. Not many have made it this far, and in doing so you have proven that you are worthy of my attention. What is it you need assistance with?"

Her bold gesture ended as Carol faced that next question, resisting the urge to ball her hands into fists of anger. "I wish to learn from you," she said, her voice rising in volume. "My father was killed, because of people who did not understand what he did. I will make them understand. But I do not currently have the ability to accomplish that."

"Revenge, that is what you want, yes?" Finé was quickly earning the respect that it seemed she deserved as she cut straight to the crux of the matter. Though perhaps Carol shouldn't be so impressed. It wasn't as if she had made it difficult to figure out.

Carol's gaze narrowed, yet she made no effort to hide what it was that she was asking for. "I do," she confirmed without hesitation. "He saved them, and they killed him for it. They will find no such mercy from me." She had her alchemy, but it wasn't enough. Given all that she had seen here, and those creatures that had attacked her, she knew Finè could help.

Yet it seemed she had said the wrong thing, that amusement Finé had held so far slipping away as she shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't do that," she said after a moment. "Escort her out of here." At that the man in armor rose, ready to carry out the command of the Priestess that ruled with such overwhelming power.

"Why not," Carol challenged, resisting the urge to stamp her foot. "I passed your tests, I came this far. Is what I request so wrong?" She didn't understand, and she was not going to leave this place without an answer even if she had to fight her to get it.

It didn't stop the man in silver, but her words had some impact on Finé herself, who answered after a moment. "Because revenge is not the answer, and that is what He has told us. You may get your revenge, but what do you have once it is over? Just an emptiness inside of you. No, revenge solves nothing." She looked away, her interest lost. "So long as that is your goal, I cannot help you."

That earned confusion from Carol as she found herself being grabbed by her escort, and she had to resist being dragged off. No revenge? It was unbelievable, especially to her. Did these people not need to pay for what they had done? Was she simply to let it go like it had never happened, and leave her father unavenged? "He saved then, and they killed him for it. Am I not allowed to have justice?"

"There is only one who can deliver true justice, and they will face it in time. It is not your province to do so," Finé said as Carol was reluctantly lead away. Her belief was unshakable, and it looked as though a new motivation would have to be sought out if she was to get anywhere.

The alchemist was inexorably dragged away, unable to resist against the sheer force applied to her body as she moved further from the throne. It felt like even the magic in the room itself had turned against her, to pull her further and further from her hope. "Then what do I do," she called, reaching back to try and close the gap yet failing to do so.

Finé's voice carried across the room, amplified and easily reaching its intended audience. "Find something else to motivate you. Something you care about. Then we'll discuss it." Then she was out of the grand hall and the doors slammed shut, leaving her on the outside.

"No!" As she was let go from that iron grip she surged forward, fists slamming against the door in a futile effort to open it. "You can't do this!" She had come too far, done too much. How could Finé just cut her off like this? Did her suffering mean nothing? But there was no answer, either on the wind or in words.

She was alone in her own world, nothing to console her but her own thoughts and those provided no comfort. Tears rolled down her cheeks in the patter of droplets as she pointed ineffectually on the door, aware that her alchemy couldn't help. Frustration and anger swelled inside of her like a rising tide, yet there was nowhere to vent her frustration. She had come this far, and she had let her father down.

How long passed after that point she didn't know, but the fact that the guards made no effort to stop it gave her no incentive to stop. Eventually her pounding tapered off, physically exhausted and mentally drained. Sobs wracked her form as she stumbled away from the door, and who could blame her for her state?

Her stumbles took her to the edge of the platform before she hit the ground, her legs giving way. She didn't tumble off, though the thought did plant itself in her mind. She had failed in her task, the one thing that she had wanted to do. No one would miss her, and it wasn't like she had any reason to stay behind. "I'm sorry Papa," she muttered, her feet dangling over the stone lip. "I let you down."

She could see him in her minds eyes, the memories washing over her. Of his kind words, the smile on his face, the two of them laughing as they watched over the results of some failed experiment. She remembered them walking together from place to place as he described the various plants and animals, with her attentively listening. All of it was gone, so much ash in her mouth. Now she would never be able to look her father in the eye again.

Like an oncoming storm the memory of it came back, the villagers surrounding him and holding her back as the pyre was lit. Her screams filled the air to match the crackle of the flames, and the last kind look he gave her before he was consumed. Each image was vivid and cut like a knife. The pain had not dulled with time.

"Papa," she muttered as her flurry vision drifted over the city and as she remembered. Would he be happy with her? Had she let him down in her failure? All she knew...All she knew...All she knew was that smile, the peace that he held until the end, and she didn't know how he had done it. It didn't make any sense.

She could even hear him now, and the sound of his voice was like a sweet clarion call to her. It would never be heard again, and everything he knew was lost forever. What could she do without Papa? _'Live on, live on and understand the world.'_

The words shot through her like a bolt of lightning. "P-Papa?" Why? Why had he said that? It was too happy for his final words, and she couldn't comprehend the reason. Slowly it began to dawn on her, and she couldn't help but smile even as she realized that her fathers final concerns had been for her and not himself. It was just like him to be that way.

Her smile was battered and broken, but it was there. It clashed with tear stained cheeks as she reflected on what her father had said and what he wanted for her. Looking back it seemed so silly, to think that he would want her to deliver revenge in his behalf. He wasn't that kind of person, and she felt ashamed to have even considered that doing so would fix things or make him happy. It would only let him down.

Yet the question lingered. What was it that she wanted, why had she come to meet Finé now that revenge was no longer being considered? The words of her father hung in her head, and she gazed out across the city as she considered it. Anger and sadness began to fade away, and that allowed for calm rationality to return as she reflected on her father, to try and figure this out. She had come this far, there had to be something.

So engrossed in her thoughts, she missed it as the door behind her swung open once again. Footsteps hung in the air as someone emerged and moved to stand behind her. She didn't have to look back and see who it was, since she was fairly sure that it was Finé. Who else would it be? It wasn't as if anyone else here cared about her. "Do you have an answer for me?"

The alchemist nodded, her hands in her lap. "I do." Slowly she rose to her feet, brushing herself off before she turned to look at Finé. She was unflappable in spite of her appearance, even while giving her answer. "I want to learn, to understand. That way I can make my father proud."

"Oh?" A lifted eyebrow accentuated Finé's amusement as it returned. "And what is it that you wish to learn?"

Carol met that with all the seriousness that she could muster, as she kept her attention fixed. "Everything," she replied with a definitive tone. "My father said that if you have to know the world around you to understand people. I want to learn about the world, people, and everything else. Then I can understand why what happened to my father was allowed to occur."

Where revenge had failed before, this time she would not find herself as quickly rejected. "Interesting," the priestess commented, taking a moment before offering her a hand. "Very well then. Follow me, Carol Malus Dienheim, and we will see what I can teach you."

Carol nodded as she took the hand, elation rising as she followed Finé back towards the tower. She was looking forward to it as well, however it turned out. "I did it Papa," she muttered to herself. She would honor her fathers last wishes and his legacy, and her current teacher would help her do that. Together, she was sure that she would get what she needed to succeed.

The door slammed shut behind Carol as she entered the tower, and stepped towards her destiny.


End file.
